“Soaring
tensions between the United States and Russia have brought the world
to a “dangerous point,” Mikhail Gorbachev warned on Monday.

The
former Soviet leader’s intervention came amid a collapse in
East-West relations over the war in Syria that has seen the Kremlin
openly threaten to shoot down Western aircraft, drawing comparisons
with the worst crises of the Cold War.

“Russian
air defense and anti-missile systems in Syria are ready to shoot down
"any unidentified flying object" if air strikes are carried
out on Syrian government positions, according to Russian Defense
Ministry Spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov.

The
motivation for Konashenkov’s statement, made on Oct. 6, was a
series of leaks in foreign mass media sources about discussion by the
U.S. government of the possibility of launching air strikes on Syrian
army positions.

Konashenkov
said that most Russian officers involved in Syria work on the ground,
bringing humanitarian aid to neighborhoods under the control of the
current government. Russian servicemen are also playing a role in
negotiations with the heads of various settlements and armed groups
in most of Syria's provinces.

"Any
missiles and air strikes on territory controlled by the Syrian
government will create a clear threat for Russian servicemen,"
added Konashenkov.”…

US
military planners should “carefully consider the possible
consequences” of such action, Major General Igor Konashenkov said
in a statement on Thursday.

“Today,
the Syrian army has effective S-200, Buk and other air defense
systems, which have undergone technical renovation in the past year,”
he said.

“I
remind US 'strategists' that air cover for the Russian military bases
in Tartus and Hmeymim includes S-400 and S-300 anti aircraft missile
systems, the range of which may come as a surprise to any
unidentified flying objects,” he added.

Russian
air defence troops would not have time to identify the flight path of
incoming rockets or aircraft that fired them, and would respond
immediately, Maj. Gen. Konashenkov added….”